Disclaimer - Nightworld and all characters (Ash, Thea, Mary-Lynette, Marc, and many more) from Nightworld is the creation of LJ Smith. The prophecy mentioned in italics is also her creation. The characters (i.e. Shindo Hikaru, Touya Akira, Waya, and etc) from Hikaru no Go are the creation of Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata. All that is mine is the plot and some random characters of my creation that help move the plot line along. :) Hope you enjoy the ride...

The Night World isn't a place. It's all around us. It's a secret society of vampires, werewolves, witches, and other creatures of darkness that live among us. They're beautiful and deadly and irresistible to humans. Your high school teacher could be one, and so could your boyfriend.

The Night World laws say it's ok to hunt humans. It's ok to toy with their hearts, its even okay to kill them. There are only two things you can't do with them.

Never let them find out that the Night World exists

Never fall in love with one of them.

These are stories about what happens when the rules get broken.

--LJ Smith

1.

Ash sighed, his hand running through his hair in an attempt to get the blondish locks out of his face and with that movement gain him some time to hide his feelings. Things were not going well at all for Circle Daybreak. Not well at all. He glanced at the occupants of the room. It seemed utterly strange and bizarre to think that little over a year ago, they'd gotten together and had been hopeful for their future… a naïve and idealistic future where Night Worlders and humans could live together, not fearing persecution if they did fall in love.

Each person in the room—Thierry, an elder and his soulmate Hannah, a human—Quinn, made vampire and Raschel, a vampire hunter (one could see the potential irony and pit falls of finding one's soulmate with those two. Ash hid a smirk as Quinn caught his eye.)—his cousin James and Poppy—so many soulmates gathered in one room—each of them breaking Night World laws just for being what they were. They had all been fighting together, trying to win a never ending battle. Three of the prophesied powers had been found and had come to the side of the light and now? Now?

Kierlan Harman had disappeared. The fourth power had just…gone.

Four to stand between the light and the shadow,

Four of blue fire, power in their blood.

Born in the year of the blind maiden's vision;

Four less one and darkness triumphs.

The words of the prophecy rang in his head. 'We're screwed.' It didn't take much to figure that much out. He wondered vaguely if he'd have some time before the real fighting began to go visit Mary-Lynette and his sisters. Not visit. Find them and take them somewhere safe. But he wasn't sure if there was a place he could find that was safe. He sat deeper in his chair, allowing himself to sink further and further into a slouch.

A door opened and closed. A cool, petite hand rested briefly on his shoulder and then it was gone. Thea—another cousin of his but of witch descent—made her way deeper into the room. Her human soulmate however collapsed at the foot of his chair. For the oddest reason, Eric had decided that Ash was the one to befriend. Thea had mentioned to him once that it had something to do with him being family and not as scary. Not as scary? Him? He glanced around the room and shook his head. There were plenty of others who were a LOT friendlier and more approachable than he was, take Hannah, Poppy, James…oh the list could surely go on. He still wasn't quite sure how sane the guy was but…hell. A movement to the side caught his eye and he grimaced at the sight.

James was the one smirking now. A tired smirk that did little to hide the growing weariness and worry in his green eyes. But a smirk all the same. Knowing and amused at the fact that not only did Ash Redfern for god's sake have a human soulmate, he now also had a human friend. The world really had to be coming to an end. They were doomed.

He really thought he hated family sometimes. Do something when you were younger and they never let it go—he had hated humans before finding out that his soulmate was human. He'd done horrible stuff in the past and given his education it wasn't that surprising. It still didn't excuse anything though.

'Still have to slay more dragons, ne?' The mental voice that sing sang into his head was not his. Green eyes twinkled mischievously at him, partially hidden by red curls. Poppy. That girl…

'Yes. Yes. Now go away.' He thought back at her, sitting straighter. 'Little Dreamer, stay out of my head.'

'You miss her.' A wave of sympathy was sent his way that he ignored.

"James." He whined. He felt Eric start at the sound of his voice. "Control your girlfriend. She's meddling and I'm not in the mood to handle it." His cousin looked surprised and then sighed, nudging the girl. She made a face and was probably about to say something in retaliation but Thierry cleared his throat. Everyone looked to him.

"Thea has news for us from Acadia." The young looking man turned grave eyes to the petite woman beside him. Her green eyes were troubled and she took a breath before starting to speak.

"Acadia dreamt last night. She dreamt of a fifth power, that the prophesy always meant five because one was destined to walk away from the Light." Kierlan Harman, bastard. But a fifth! Thea continued before hope and excitement could truly run through Ash's veins. "She saw him in her dream." A slight pause. "But she wasn't the only one."